Make a statement with walls

Jules and Anna’s studio walls were bright white for years, but after a trip to South Africa, Anna was inspired to paint them dark green. Jules loves the new look: ‘We’ve found the colour has really changed the room’s whole personality.’ For a group of artists, the studio walls are the biggest blank canvas of all and they enjoy using them to put their artwork on show. They’ve wall-mounted picture ledges and use them to display their art because it makes it easy to switch up the display whenever Anna designs a new pattern or print, or the team want something fresh to look at to spark some creative thinking. The ledges are also great for hanging up designs to dry.

Less stuff means more focus

It’s easy to fill a shared workspace with desks and chairs, but for Anna this felt messy and distracting. She decided to set up one large table for everyone to work at together, which has also led to some creative collaborations – she and Jules have just started a joint blog about their neighbourhood. Sitting together can help the ideas flow, even when everyone is working on separate projects: ‘Having Jules around helps me stay motivated; knowing that someone else is working too makes me really focus on what I’m doing,’ says Anna.

Mix industrial with natural

Jules and Anna keep their imaginations active by filling every corner of the studio with things that create interesting contrasts. Both are firm believers in the benefits of having plants in the workplace – from cleaner air to reduced stress levels – so there are pot plants in each of the four rooms. Some vintage metal signs they found on the street outside give an industrial edge to their thriving urban jungle.

Light it right

High ceilings and large windows mean there’s plenty of natural light throughout the studio – even with such dark walls. Jules and Anna have added two types of lighting to the space: task lighting for close-up work, and striking light installations to add colour and character.

Keep moving

The studio space used to be quite cluttered, with more shelves and desks dotted around. Having artwork displayed along the dark walls makes such a statement that Jules and Anna decided to switch to a more streamlined look. And they are still making little changes to the studio every week, such as swapping the furniture around to make sure they’re getting the most out of the space. ‘It’s good to change where you sit, to keep things moving!’ says Jules. 

Made by

Photograph: Polly Wreford 
 Styling: Abigail Edwards
Follow Jules at herzundblut.com